Item
| Image |  |
| Description | This strange helmet is made of coppery wires and some sort of sticky resin. It looks fairly simplistic, actually, except for the processor bundles near the temples. A label etched into one side reads "HKGames Prototype. Property of HKGames - Not for Sale or Distribution. Maximum Penalty of 25 Years Imprisonment and 100,000 Credit Fine." That would be scarier if they hadn't gone out of business recently. On the other hand, Zaibatsu and Midgard seemed to be working together to take them down. That implies this is either completely unrelated to the feud or awesome. |
| Type | Hat |
| Use | (see below) |
| Effects | +2 Etheric Power +4 Will |
Sources
Zack's House of Coins - Originally available in season 1 for 2 unearthly coins; see House of Coins page for current rotation
Uses
Equipping the helmet gives a special message:
You equip your HKGames helmet <and, if you had a hat equipped previously> and put your <other hat> away. Small text appears in your vision: "Initializing… <and, if you have already selected a test> Loading Test…"
When it is equipped, you can [use] the helmet to select a test:
You fiddle with the helmet until something resembling a menu pops up. The options are floating letters, gently drifting by you.
Even the little red cancel button looks like part of the terrain, albeit a little too shiny and angular for most parts of Metroplex.
Target Test
You walk up to the floating letters reading "target test" and touch them. They spin and vanish.
Huh. That's kind of cool.
(Unlock Target Test or Swarm of Gems)
Ring Test
You head over to the "ring test" label and tap on it. The letters swoop into a circle and vanish. That's kind of cool.
(Unlock Ring Test or Square Maw)
Resistance Test
You make your way to the floating "resistance test" label and touch it gently. It crackles with energy that looks almost laughably computer-generated.
A moment later, though, a crystalline plaque appears. It reads "please return to the medical wing for observation before test load is complete."
You suppose that could be a good sign.
(Unlock Resistance Test or Pain Gremlin)
Just Cancel
You tap the small red button reading "cancel." Nothing really seems to happen, but maybe that's a good sign.
Encounters
After you pick a setting, you will get a special encounter after spending 12-16 (?) Energy. (Energy spent walking away from choice encounters does not count.) You must wear the helmet the entire time; unequipping it resets the counter and makes you start over.
If you are not Etheric, you will receive a non-combat encounter that grants XP in one attribute based on the number of different techniques of the appropriate kind you have in your deck. Having the right helpful effect active gives +3 XP.
| Encounter | XP Gain | Technique Type | Helpful Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Target Test | Perception | Ranged | Steady Hand |
| Ring Test | Reflexes | Evasion | Pep In Your Step |
| Resistance Test | Strength | Melee | No Pain |
If you are Etheric, you will get a combat encounter. All of the fights involve special combat mechanics. If you win you will learn one of two techniques, determined by how you won (see opponent pages for details).
| Test | Opponent | Encounter Text | Technique Rewards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Target Test | Swarm of Gems | A swarm of strange gems appear in front of you like some bizarre computer game. They seem real enough, though, menacing you and the terrain with their vicious edges. | Gem Break Gamer's Shot |
| Ring Test | Square Maw | A strange crystalline hoop appears before you, exhorting you to dive through it. You think better of the concept as it shrieks in rage and opens into a dripping maw. | Rasping Teeth Hoop Jump |
| Resistance Test | Pain Gremlin | Your muscles spasm, rebelling against you and making every movement agony. Trying to fight through it just makes it worse, until your pain takes physical form. | Grasp of Pain Gaze of Pain |
Technique Summary
You can learn the following techniques from the HKGames helmet:| Chain | Technique | Type | Attr | Dam | Def | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Rasping Teeth | Etheric | Will | 12 | - | Inflicts Rasping Teeth on opponent, or Blackstone Teeth with Blood of the Ancients |
 |
Grasp of Pain | Melee | Strength | 5 | - | enhanced if you are below 50% max HP |
 |
Gaze of Pain | Etheric | Will | 10 | - | +damage if opponent is injured |
 |
Hoop Jump | Evasion (M,R) | Reflexes | - | 6 | "Slips between attacks, creating openings in your enemies' defenses" special needs spading |
 |
Gamer's Shot | Ranged | Reflexes | 5 | - | +damage as opener or following Ranged |
 |
Gem Break | Etheric | Will | 15 | ? (E) | Powered by your Etheric or vs. Etheric |
Other Uses
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This item is not a component for any kind of crafting. |
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This item cannot be salvaged. |
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This item cannot be added to a gang stash. |
Remaining Mysteries
From Podcast 35:
There is one quite major hidden thing.. It’s quite puzzly though. I’m trying to remember if it occurs within the Etheric encounters, I don’t think it does. Within the physical space. You’ll definitely know it when you see it though.
Other hints from Kinak:
At least one thing remains that requires Eclipse (and I just tested it to make sure it's working). I'd hazard that's the main one, but there's at least some minor non-Eclipse stuff that's still out there.
Oh, to be clear, you can't get the thing I mentioned without the non-Etheric encounters as well. Which might have been what I was vaguing.